Wesley Word – May 22, 2022

Carolyn Lemaster   -   May 18, 2022

To go along with service on: Sunday, May 22nd 

Experiencing Grace

Exploring Truth

Do You Want To Be Made Well?

John 5:1-9

This week we look at one of the many stories in the Gospels of Jesus healing someone. This story takes place at a pool in Jerusalem, called Bethesda, where Jesus met a man who had been an invalid for 38 years.

Depending on your version of the Bible, you may notice verse 4 is missing. Go ahead, look again. That is because in some early manuscripts of John’s Gospel, it is not there. We do not know why it is in some early copies and not in others. Perhaps John left it out and a later copyist added it to better explain the story. Or, John wrote it and a later copyist left it out, which is what I think happened.  I think it does belong there because the story does not really make sense without it. Verse 4 would read, “And they waited for the moving of the waters. From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease they had.”

So, this was a place where many sick people would gather and wait for the water to be stirred up. The first one into the pool after the water was stirred got healed. Our man had been coming to this pool for 38 years, and for 38 years, someone always beat him into the water.

Jesus asks the man a very strange question. He asks, “Do you want to be made well?” The answer would seem obvious, but to tell the truth, we all know people who prefer the mess they are in over being made well.

Perhaps it is because they like the attention and care they receive from others when they are sick. Perhaps they are stuck in an addiction or a bad habit. Perhaps they are stuck in a toxic relationship. Perhaps they do not want to change or are afraid of change. Whatever the reason, it would seem that there are, in fact, some people who just do not want to be made well.

Our man today, does want to be made well. He has been waiting and trying for 38 years. Jesus rewards his faith and his patience and orders him to take up his mat and walk.

Question for Reflection/Discussion:

  1. What are some reasons people would not want to be made well?

 

New Testament in a Year: https://wesleyonline.org/biblereading/

  • May 18    John 10:1-21
  • May 19    John 10:22-42
  • May 20    John 11:1-54
  • May 21    John 11:55-12:19
  • May 22    John 12:20-50
  • May 23    John 13:1-30
  • May 24    John 13:31-14:14
  • May 25    John 14:15-31

 

Expressing Love: Family/Mission Activity

First Aid Guessing Game: Get out your family first aid kit. Allow your family to look at the contents. Then choose an item out of the kit, but don’t tell your family. Put the item in a brown paper bag and allow your family to feel it, but not look and see if they can identify which item you put in the bag. The whole family can take turns picking the item to be guessed.

When the game is complete, talk about how the items in the kit can make you feel better, but they don’t actually “heal” you. They might make you feel better or allow your body the time it needs to heal by protecting the area, but they don’t do the healing. The man in today’s Bible story wasn’t healed by the water. He was healed by Jesus.

Jesus still heals us today, from the inside out. Even if we get sick or hurt, we have the promise to live forever with Jesus, but we have to make the choice for him to heal us. Just like Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be made well. Jesus wants to live with us forever, but we have to make the choice for him to heal us from the inside out.

 

Announcements

  • Sunday, May 22, 10:00 am in Fellowship Hall: Farewell Reception for Sonia & Chris Baker Family
  • Jackson Concert: Tom Trenney Hymnfest with Organ & Choir – Thursday, June 16 @ 7:30pm
  • VBS, July 11-14, register here.
  • Music Camp, July 18-22, register here.